NCO wearing tight civilian athletic clothes in the office; how would this affect your view of the NCO?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 10:17:31 -0400

My first post here on RP is inspired by one female NCO. As i walked into the retention office, I noticed a female in civilian work out clothes in the office to my right. First thought after realizing she was in a loose fitting tank top, wow shouldn't you be in uniform by now? Then, as I wait to speak with my retention NCO, she comes out of her office wearing said tank top and extremely short shorts. The kind those cross fit folks wear. She also stated she had been in the office since 08, it is now 1000. Many people have come in and out of the retention office with her in clear view and to me it's inappropriate. The work environment is a professional atmosphere and if you're going to show up in a tank top and short elastic type shorts, shut your office door until you're in more appropriate attire.

Do you feel this is an obvious distraction in the work place? How does this effect your view on wearing civilian clothes in the work place and would this effect your view of said female NCO?

Opinions? Comments?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 10:18 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 10:18:55 -0400

If makes you feel uncomfortable you should say something to her. And yes it probably is inappropriate.

Response by SGT David T. made May 19 at 2015 10:20 AM

SGT David T. — Tue, 19 May 2015 10:20:50 -0400

I would say this is highly inappropriate for the workplace. I work with predominately civilians and even they don't dress like that in the workplace.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 10:26 AM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 10:26:15 -0400

Unless she was called in for an emergency where taking time to dress properly was not available, I believe she was certainly inappropriate.

And, yes, closing the door would have been prudent.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 10:28 AM

SrA Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 10:28:24 -0400

Working as a recruiter you are there to be the face of the military, if this is a career counselor on base, It is a blatant distraction, just like if it would be a storefront recruiting office. Personally if you are in your office and it is the start of the duty day you should be in the prescribed uniform and ready to start work.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 10:29 AM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 10:29:14 -0400

I don't know if it's so much a distraction as it's lack of professionalism.

Response by SPC Nate Lamphier made May 19 at 2015 10:31 AM

SPC Nate Lamphier — Tue, 19 May 2015 10:31:18 -0400

The way you described it, it is, in my opinion inappropriate. If they were in civilian clothing that wasn't going to draw attention to themselves, that is no problem....tank top and short shorts.....well, someone wants additional attention in my opinion.

Curious to know what this individuals rank was. If high ranking for the office, how would this Soldier feel if someone under them pulled the same attire?

Now I do understand that you can get called in at a moments notice. Speaking for myself, I always carried a spare set of clothes with me if such thing happened.

Response by SFC Joseph James made May 19 at 2015 11:44 AM

SFC Joseph James — Tue, 19 May 2015 11:44:59 -0400

I'm not sure I understand the question. Would you have any pictures to demonstrate the issue? :)

Response by MSgt Sharon Davis made May 19 at 2015 7:34 PM

MSgt Sharon Davis — Tue, 19 May 2015 19:34:23 -0400

Totally inappropriate especially for an NCO regardless of the sex.

Response by SFC William Farrell made Jul 8 at 2015 12:12 AM

SFC William Farrell — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 00:12:31 -0400

I would say its unprofessional for an office environment and also distracting. I feel the NCOIC of the retention office should have said something; unless of course she was the NCOIC! At my former job at the Navy base, we had a female employee come in one day wearing a top which was totally inappropriate and way too revealing. She was dressed like a cheap hooker. Totally inappropriate for any office environment and certainly a distraction to any man who wanted to look at her. The NCOIC who was also a woman required her to change her blouse or be disciplined. She was military so it was easier to deal with.

Response by PO1 David Swift made Nov 16 at 2015 12:14 PM

PO1 David Swift — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 12:14:11 -0500

I like how everyone are experts in female fashions.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 17 at 2015 2:53 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 14:53:02 -0500

Generally speaking if something feels wrong it's because it is wrong.

Response by CW3 Jim Norris made Nov 18 at 2015 1:58 PM

CW3 Jim Norris — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 13:58:43 -0500

The response by SFC James gives you your answer. Healthy, young adults are indeed distracted by other healthy young adults displaying their health and vigor. Does she know she is a distraction - certainly, should whomever is senior in the officer permit such behavior? Of course not. So whose going to take the leadership here? Top down or bottom up? No pun intended....well maybe a little.....sex does sell and she is in the retention business......no, no not really. She works for someone, talk to that someone.

Response by SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz made Nov 18 at 2015 2:03 PM

SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 14:03:13 -0500

Maybe that's her new way of attracting Soldiers to reenlist.

Response by SPC Brian Bay made Nov 19 at 2015 3:41 AM

SPC Brian Bay — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 03:41:29 -0500

Give the lady credit; she can obviously pass a PT test. It sounds like the retention NCO, from what I can remember has a very fluid schedule; one that often times entails handling last-minute issues or solving the latest re-enlistment crisis. In all of this she is able to multi-task and still get a workout in. Who knows, the duty day usually begins at 0900 and the fact that she was there since 0800, there's a probability that she was taking care of some last-minute things to support the command and had not yet had the opportunity to go work out.

I'll take someone who can get the job done and performs over someone who spends time worrying about arbitrary regulations and is strictly black and white. Think of the last time that someone went out of their way for you and how awesome it felt; then compare it to the stuffy, grumpy, miserable human that says, "Sorry, I'm on lunch, you'll have to come back when it's totally inconvenient for you or too late to accomplish what you need." and how pissed you were.

Life is stressful enough, no sense in worrying about the manusha.

Response by Capt Jeff S. made Dec 25 at 2015 3:17 AM

Capt Jeff S. — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 03:17:57 -0500

I'd think she was trolling and chumming the water with blood.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2019 6:09 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 18:09:12 -0400

if she is on duty, then she should be in duty uniform. Period point blank.

Response by Sgt Edward Harold made Jan 28 at 2021 2:26 PM

Sgt Edward Harold — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 14:26:26 -0500

You didn't mention this woman's rank. If she is on duty and in your chain of command and this is a recurring situation you might tell her that her attire is inappropriate. Be very carefull if you are not in control of all the facts or lack the authority. In my day we would have told her to get appropriate uniform and mete out appropriate punishment. Though we had a Lt Colonel who was a golfer and on a golf day or week end he would be working in the office in raggedy golf closes.

Response by Cpl Steven Brewer made Jul 9 at 2021 8:45 PM

Cpl Steven Brewer — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 20:45:09 -0400

It's inappropriate if she is working, she should be in uniform.

If it is distracting, that is solely on you.

Response by PO2 Gene Conners made Jul 10 at 2021 9:48 AM

PO2 Gene Conners — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 09:48:04 -0400

This is 2021, not 1951. If it is not her typical apparel, why even blink a gawking eye?

Response by SSgt Keith Forsman made Jul 14 at 2021 2:30 AM

SSgt Keith Forsman — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 02:30:08 -0400

So first of all, it is only a distraction in the workplace if you allow it to distract you. My first piece of advice to you is stop looking at females as sexual objects, and don’t assume everyone else looks at them that way. Second - if she has been in the office since 0800 then she should have been in uniform when she got there. I would simply respond in this manner “I don’t give two shits less when you arrived at your office. If you are here to conduct the business of the day then you should be in the fucking uniform of the day. Now go unfuck yourself.”

Response by 1SG Alan Boggs made Jul 14 at 2021 6:21 AM

1SG Alan Boggs — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 06:21:07 -0400

NCOs enforce the standard.

So the question is; What is the standard set by the the deciding authority of that office?
When I was just 10-15 years younger my civilian attire included many tank tops that displayed my muscular pysique, I worked hard to achieve that level of fitness and liked to show it off. That being said there were dress code to follow and sometimes I received reminders of that fact.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 18 at 2021 1:27 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Sep 2021 13:27:59 -0400

My father, a retired CW4, always taught me to let the regulations and policies do the dirty work for you.